Automatic marker buoy



AUTOMATIC MARKER BUOY Filed Feb. 13, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 85 Ze/ma H.Wright, J/:

\1 lNi ENTOR. BY MM 17% Sept. 15, 1959 z. H. WRIGHT, JR v I AUTOMATICMARKER BUOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 13, 1958 Fig.4

"IIIIIIIIIIII Ze/ma H. Wright, Jr

INVENTOR. 6052;

M Mm States atct AUTOMATIC MARKER BUOY Zelma H. Wright, 312, Baltimore,Md.

Application February 13, 1958, Serial No. 714,994

2 Claims. (Cl. 9-9) This invention relates generally to buoys fordetecting the presence of submerged articles, and more particularly toan automatic inflatable marker buoy.

It has often been a problem when going boating with an outboard motorboat, to retrieve an outboard motor if per chance it happens to fall orbe pulled from the transom of the boat and drop into the water. This isliable to occur when the outboard motor is detachably fastened to thetransom of a boat as by clamping screws and a very sharp turn is madewhen the boat is going at a substantially high rate of speed. This hasthe eflect of pulling the motor at an angle on the transom andeventually disengaging it therefrom. Therefore, it is the primary objectof this invention to provide an automatic marker buoy which may beattached to outboard motors to provide a floating marker buoy which willaid in the locating of submerged motors.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed wherein the water pressure will act on this apparatus andcause the automatic inflating of the buoy, with the eventual release ofthe buoy from the apparatus so that it may float.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described wherein the pressure at which the automaticinflating will take place may be varied, so that it may be predeterminedat which depth the inflating of the buoy will initiate.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive device yet one which is exceedingly effective for thepurpose for which it is designed.

This invention contemplates the use of a housing having a waterproofcasing located therein. One wall of the casing is a diaphragm which willbe urged inwardly by the pressure of water acting thereon when thehousing is submerged. A container of compressed gas is located withinthe casing, and a hollow spike is aligned therewith, and engaged withina flexible tube which leads exteriorly of the casing. A mechanism isprovided for forcing the spike to puncture the container when thediaphragm has been depressed a predetermined amount. Gas escaping fromthe container will flow through the spike and into the tube, and thenceinto a deflated buoy which is detachably aflixed to the tube. A strandis connected between the housing and the buoy. The buoy is disposedwithin the housing, and a detachable door encloses the same. However,the door is loosely mounted so that upon inflation of the buoy, the doorwill be removed from the housing, and when the air pressure within thebuoy is suflicient to remove the buoy from the tube, the buoy will floatto the surface and act as a marker for the submerged outboard motor, orany other article to which this apparatus is connected.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a submerged outboard motor having thepresent invention attached there- .to, and illustrating the marker buoyfloating on the surface and attached by a strand to the motor;

Figure 2 is an elevational plan view of the housing within whichthe'buoy is located;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along theplane defined by reference line 3-3 of Figure 2, illustrating details ofconstruction thereof;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the buoy check valve,a portion of the buoy, and a portion of the tube; and

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of the hollow spike used inconjunction with the present invention to puncture the compressed gascontainer.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates the housing which is to enclose the presentinvention. The housing is constructed of end walls 12 and side walls 14,which are connected together to form a substantially rectangularenclosure. A top 16 having a plurality of apertures 18 formed therein,is connected to the upper edges of end walls 12 and side walls 14-, bybolts 20 which pass through openings in top 16 and are threaded intoblind threaded bores formed in the upper edges of the side and end walls14 and 12 respectively. The bottom inner edges of the side and end wallsare grooved as at 22, to accommodate a bottom 24 having apertures 26formed therein. This bottom 24 is not fastened to the walls in any othermanner, and it is only the fit between the bottom 24 and the grooves 22which hold this bottom in place. One of the end walls 12., has athreaded aperture 23 formed therein, and located therebelow is a secondand larger threaded opening 39 formed therein.

A waterproof casing is located within the housing and this casing isconstructed of end walls 32 and side walls 34 sealed together at theedges so as to prevent the entry of water thereinto. This casing is ofthe same shape as housing 10, but of slightly smaller dimensions. Abottom 36 is med to the bottom edges of the casing walls 32 and 34,, asby bolts 38. A diaphragm 40 is fixed to the upper edges of the casingwalls, and secured thereto by plates 42 which are disposed peripherallyabout the edges of the diaphragm 4t), and located between housing top16, and the diaphragm, and in alignment with the casing walls 32 and 34.Bolts 44 are passed vertically through these plates 42, and extendthrough diaphragm 40 and into the upper edges of casing walls 32 and 34.In casing end wall 32 which underlies the housing end wall 12 having theopening 34) therein, is formed a large threaded opening 46 in alignmentwith opening 30. Located thereabove and slightly smaller is a threadedaperture 48 which is in alignment with threaded aperture 28. A bolt 50is threaded into the aligned apertures 28 and 48, so as to lock thehousing and the casing together. A plug 52 is threaded into the alignedopenings 30 and 46, and is used for a purpose which will be explainedbelow. However, it is to be noted that this plug also serves to lock thecasing and housing together.

Interiorly of the casing is mounted a compressed gas container 54 havinga neck 56, which is disposed in an opening 53 in bracket 6% provided forthe purpose and projecting upwardly from casing bottom 36. The rear orbottom of the container 54, is engaged in a recess 62 providedinteriorly of plug 52, so that the container 54 is firmly positionedwithin the casing. It is to be noted that special openings 63 areprovided in plug 52, so that the plug 52 may be unthreaded and removedwhen desired. Thus, the compressed gas container 54 may be re placed andaccess may be gained to the interior of the casing whenever desired. AVertical opening 64- is formed in bottom 36 on the opposite side of thecasing from the plug 52. In this opening 64- is engaged and firmlyseated a vertical hollow tube 66, which extends from the interior of thecasing to the exterior. A flexible elbow 68 is locked to the tube 66interiorly of the casing.

A thin flat plate 70 is disposed within the casing and directlyunderlies and is secured to the diaphragm 40.

An L-shaped lever 72 pivoted to bracket 74 has its short leg 76 incontact with the plate 70. Bracket 74 is mounted to casing side wall 34.A spring seat 78 is fixed to the bottom of short leg 76, and a spring 80seated therein. The free end of spring 80 is disposed within anotherspring seat 82, mounted on a bracket 84 which is in turn fixed to casingwall 34. It may thus be seen that because of spring 80 urging the shortleg 76 upwardly, the plate 78 and thus the diaphragm 41) is forced to aposition outwardly of the casing. A vertical lever 86 is pivoted tobracket 88 which is disposed on bottom 36. The upper end of the leverhas a spring seat 90, affixed to it and another spring seat 91) inalignment therewith is afi'ixed to the inner surface of easing end wall32. A spring 92 is located therebetween, so as to constantly urge thevertical lever 86 to the left as viewed in Figure 3. The upper portionof vertical lever 86 has a notch 94 formed therein, into which the endof lever 72 fits, so that while the spring 92 urges vertical lever 86 tothe left, it is retained from movement to the left because of beingengaged with lever 72. It will be realized, however, that upondepression of the diaphragm 40, against spring 88, the lever 72 willtilt about its pivotal axis, and the end engaging notch 94 will moveupwardly, thus releasing the lever 86 and allowing the spring 92 to movelever 86 to the left.

A spike 96 having an off center bore 98 formed horizontallytherethrough, is attached to the lower end of vertical lever 86, inalignment with container neck 56, and elbow 68. in fact, the rearportion of spike 96 is telescopically engaged within the flexible elbow68. Thus, upon movement of the lever in the previously mentioneddirection, the spike 96 will be engaged in the container 56, andcompressed gas therein may flow out of the container through bore 98,through elbow 68, and out of the casing through tube 66.

A deflated balloon like buoy 100 is disposed within the housing betweencasing bottom 36 and housing bottom 24. The mouth 102 of this buoy isdisposed about a tube 184 and firmly affixed thereto. This tube 194 isof slightly larger dimensions than tube 66, and is encircled thereabout.A reinforced circular portion 185 is formed centrally of tube 104 andhas a bore 186 formed vertically therethrough, which opens up into avalve seat 188. A plurality of pins 118 are located below valve seat108, and a ball 112 is locked in the area between the valve seat 1418and the pins 110. So, upon the entry of compressed gas downwardlythrough tube 66, the ball 112 will also be moved downwardly and this gasmay enter the buoy 181). However, after the buoy 108 has left thehousing, and is free from tube 66, the air within the buoy will forcethe ball 112 upwardly against valve seat 108 and this air will be sealedtherein.

in use, an outboard motor 114, or other object which it is desired tohave a marker buoy attached to, will have the housing 18 aflixedthereto, as by attachment to the outboard motor 114 by means or"brackets 1 which are attached to the side walls of housing 18. Then, anytime the outboard motor 114 comes off the transom of a boat and isdropped into the water, the water pressure will enter through apertures18 and exert a pressure upon diaphragm 48. When the pressure upondiaphragm 40 is great enough to overcome the pressure of spring 84), thetrigger or lever 72 will have its right end moved upwardly thusreleasing the lever 86 and causing, by means of spring 92, the spike 96to puncture the neck 56 of the compressed gas container. It is to benoted that by changing the spring St), the amount of force to be exertedbefore the releasing of the trigger may be varied, so that the depth atwhich the buoy will be automatically released, may be preselected. Uponthe puncturing of the container 54, gas will escape therefrom and passthrough bore 98 of spike 96, through elbow 68,

the tube 66 and into the buoy. A projection 116 having an opening 118formed therein is attached to tube 104, and has a strand 124} connectedthereto. The other end of strand 128 is connected to a similar type ofprojection 122 fixed to one of the housing end walls 12. Thus, as thebuoy is inflated it will fill up the space between casing bottom Wall 36and housing bottom wall 24, and eventually force the bottom 24 out ofthe groove 22, and when the air pressure within the buoy is suflicient,the buoy will be released from tube 66, and the ball 112 will seal theair within the buoy from escaping. Then, the buoy may rise to thesurface as seen in Figure 1, while the strand is still connected fromone end of the buoy 108' to the housing 10. When it is desired to locatethe submerged outboard motor 114, it is merely necessary to look for thesurfaced buoy 108, and then follow the strand 1% down to the motor whereit is located on the bottom of the lake, stream, or other body of waterwhere the motor is submerged.

it may now be seen that there has been shown and described a new andimproved type of automatic inflating marker buoy which is extremelyuseful for submerged outboard motors.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An automatic marker buoy comprising a housing having walls, adetachable bottom door, and a perforated top for admitting watertherethrough under pressure, a casing fixed in said housing and having atop diaphragm flexible in response to the pressure of water admittedthrough said perforated top, said casing having a bottom spaced from andforming with the detachable door and said walls a bottom chamber in saidhousing, a deflated buoy in said chamber inflatable in response to gaspressure to detach said door and escape from said chamber, a containerfor compressed gas fixed in said casing and adapted for puncturing torelease the gas, a spring loaded lever in said casing having one endpivoted to said bottom for swinging of the lever toward said container,a hollow spike in said casing fixed to said lever and movable therebyinto puncturing engagement with said container to discharge gas from thecontainer in response to swinging of said lever, tubular means extendingthrough said bottom from said spike to said buoy for conveying gasdischarged from said spike to said buoy and being flexible within saidcasing to compensate for movement of said spike, and a trigger in saidcasing engaged with the other end of said lever and disengageabletherefrom in response to flexing of said diaphragm for controllingswinging of said lever.

2. The combination of claim 1, said trigger comprising a spring loadedlever pivotally mounted between its ends on one of said walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,016,301 Seat Oct. 8, 1935 2,329,845 Lindsay Sept. 21, 1943 2,642,693Broady June 23, 1953 2,687,541 Bannister Aug. 31, 1954 2,752,615 ParkerJuly 3, 1956 2,803,838 Wales Aug. 27, 1957 2,825,803 Newbrough Mar. 4,1958 2,853,724 Smith Sept. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 396,524 GreatBritain Aug. 10, 1933

